Sometimes students receive a call or email from the school asking them to report to the dean’s office or the Office of Student Conduct for a meeting. No explanation is given as to why their presence is required. This may be an oversight on the school’s part, but often the school wants the student to be caught off guard.
The student does not have to walk in unprepared.
Before the date/time of the meeting, the student (or a parent/guardian/advisor) can send a short and polite written request asking the school to clarify:
- The purpose of the meeting
- The participants in the meeting
- If the school has any specific concerns
- What material/evidence the school intends to rely on
Sending a written request, usually through email, creates a paper trail which can be useful for the student. This isn’t meant to be confrontational, as the student has every right to know what kind of meeting they’re walking into because it can impact their life in a huge way.
What is the meeting about?
As highlighted in the introduction, this is the most important question that the student can ask and needs to know the answer to.
This might seem obvious at first glance, but it is crucial to know that schools often use vague language on purpose. They might say they only want a ‘conversation’ or a ‘check-in’ to ‘discuss your file’. Their answers don’t explain to the student why they’re being asked in for a meeting.
It would be prudent for the student to ask the following questions:
- Is there a specific concern or allegation that prompted this meeting? You’re not looking for general answers, but for a specific incident or conduct in question.
- What kind of meeting is this? It’s important for the student to understand whether they’re walking into an investigative interview, an informational meeting, or a disciplinary hearing because these are different types of meetings with different stakes, and schools don’t always use consistent terms. An informational meeting is simply the school explaining a policy, whereas an investigative interview means the school is actively gathering information related to a specific event/incident. A disciplinary meeting means the school may have already decided what consequences the student will face for an alleged situation.
Knowing what you’re walking into helps you prepare by bringing relevant evidence or documentation.
What materials will be discussed?
If the school has already gathered reports, messages, emails, or witness statements related to the situation, the student has a reasonable interest in knowing that before the meeting, not during it.
A student can ask:
- What documents or reports does the school plan to reference?
- Which specific policy or code of conduct provision is at issue?
- Is there a written complaint, and can the school disclose it before the meeting?
It varies by school how much they’re willing to share with the student ahead of time. The answers usually depend on the meeting type and the school’s policies. While some schools have no hesitation sharing evidence, especially once the issue escalates to a formal Title IX or conduct investigation, others are not so open until the actual meeting.
The student asking does not guarantee full disclosure, but it does create a paper record, which might lead to more information than the school would’ve given otherwise.
The flip side of this is: can the student submit anything in advance? Written statements, event timelines, text messages, documents, etc. can be handed over to support a student’s side of the story. If schools allow these in advance, it lays good groundwork for the student to explain the situation in their own words before the meeting itself. If schools don’t allow these in advance, that’s also important to know because then it means the meeting itself will be the only opportunity for the student to respond and present their case.
Who will attend, and may the student bring someone?
A meeting where the student is unfamiliar with the present staff members is a very different experience than walking into a meeting with an advisor the student is familiar and comfortable with. Asking for who will be present at the meeting beforehand is simply a part of one’s preparation.
It is reasonable to request the names, titles, or roles the school intends to have present in the room. Knowing if a dean, a Title IX coordinator, someone from student affairs etc., will be present can give the student some insight into the nature and purpose of the meeting as well.
The more difficult question, however, is whether the student also brings someone to assist them. That answer depends on a few different things.
- State law. Certain states and laws have addressed this question directly. Louisiana law, effective 2024, prohibits schools from denying students the right to have an attorney present at a disciplinary hearing. In 2013, North Carolina passed a similar law covering non-academic disciplinary proceedings at public universities. Other states such as Arkansas and North Dakota have also adopted similar laws. However, these laws aren’t found in all states, and they usually only apply to public universities.
- Institutional policy. At private colleges, or where state laws don’t apply, the school’s code of conduct determines whether the student has the right to an attorney or support person present at the meeting/hearing. Many schools allow an advisor to be present, but they limit them to a silent or advisory role. Courts have generally stated schools don’t need to permit attorneys to represent students at disciplinary hearings, but basic procedural protections like notice and an opportunity to respond must be in place.
- Type of proceeding. Title IX cases that involve sexual misconduct allegations have different rules for representation than general cases like academic integrity. These cases usually have more built-in protections, given the consequences.
It’s best to ask for this directly and beforehand because these laws vary so much state by state. A written response is the best possible scenario.
What could happen after the meeting?
A relevant question for a student to ask is: What could happen after the meeting? Students need to understand the gravity of the situation and how best to respond.
If a meeting can affect their enrollment, academic standing or their scholarship, or participation in extracurricular activities, it would be helpful to know this information beforehand. The student is entitled to ask whether these are possible consequences.
Students should also ask whether the proceedings will result in a formal, written outcome. How long does it take to make and communicate decisions? Will the student get a chance to appeal those decisions? Requesting this information in writing beforehand helps the student avoid uninformed choices that could lead to serious consequences.
Is there enough time to prepare?
One of the more common complaints we see in these types of scenarios are short notice periods. Meetings are scheduled for the next day or the very same day of the notice, leaving little to no room for a student to gather documents or to think of a response.
A few things help protect the student here:
- Get the meeting time, location, and format confirmed in writing. In person, video call, or phone. This avoids confusion and creates a clear record.
- If key information hasn’t arrived yet, ask directly whether the meeting can be rescheduled. A student who has requested the purpose of the meeting, the materials involved, and clarification on attendance, and hasn’t received answers, has a reasonable basis to ask for more time. Schools don’t always grant this, but asking is rarely held against the student, and not asking sometimes is.
- Keep every email. A record of every question asked, the answers given to said questions and also what wasn’t answered. If the process moves forward, having the record is clear evidence of how much information the student had access to.
Conclusion
None of these questions require legal training to ask. It is only normal and reasonable to ask for some basic information such as what the meeting is about, if there is a specific incident that triggered it and what kind of evidence the school has to initiate it.
Schools that have already prepared their evidence are at an advantage, but a student who shows up prepared to respond to the school’s concerns can gain an upper hand as well. If you’re in a similar situation where it is unclear what the stakes are, reach out to K Altman Law for guidance before the meeting so you can be fully prepared.